Marine Archaeology Survey of Redfish Bay Pipeline Project Nueces County, Texas
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BOB Project 2018-06 MARINE ARCHAEOLOGY SURVEY OF REDFISH BAY PIPELINE PROJECT NUECES COUNTY, TEXAS Prepared for: Project Consulting Services, Inc. 1800 West Loop South, Suite 900 Houston, Texas 77027 Prepared by: BOB Hydrographics, LLC 1315 Fall Creek Loop Cedar Park, Texas 78613 Principal Investigator: Robert Gearhart February 2019 BOB Project 2018-06 MARINE ARCHAEOLOGY SURVEY OF REDFISH BAY PIPELINE PROJECT NUECES COUNTY, TEXAS Texas Antiquities Permit No. 8645 Prepared for: Project Consulting Services, Inc. 1800 West Loop South, Suite 900 Houston, Texas 77027Prepared by: BOB Hydrographics, LLC 1315 Fall Creek Loop Cedar Park, Texas 78613 Principal Investigator: Robert Gearhart February 2019 i | P a g e Table of Contents Page List of Figures ............................................................................................................................................... iii List of Tables ................................................................................................................................................ iii Abstract ........................................................................................................................................................ iv I. Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 1 II. Physical Environment ............................................................................................................................ 2 III. Cultural Background .......................................................................................................................... 3 Maritime History ....................................................................................................................................... 3 Potential for Historic Shipwrecks .............................................................................................................. 8 Factors Affecting Vessel Loss ................................................................................................................ 8 Factors Affecting Vessel Preservation................................................................................................. 10 Previous Investigations ........................................................................................................................... 10 IV. Research Design .............................................................................................................................. 11 Survey Methods ...................................................................................................................................... 11 Interpretation of Magnetometer Data ................................................................................................... 12 Role of Sonar Imagery ......................................................................................................................... 13 Amplitude ............................................................................................................................................ 14 Complexity .......................................................................................................................................... 14 Horizontal Dimensions ........................................................................................................................ 17 Orientation .......................................................................................................................................... 19 Significance Criteria ............................................................................................................................ 21 V. Results ................................................................................................................................................. 21 Side-Scan Sonar ................................................................................................................................... 22 Magnetometer .................................................................................................................................... 22 Recommendations .................................................................................................................................. 22 VI. References Cited ............................................................................................................................. 26 Appendix A: Side-Scan Sonar Mosaic (Not for Public Disclosure) ............................................................. A-1 Appendix B: Magnetic Contours (Not for Public Disclosure) ..................................................................... B-1 Appendix C: Geophysical Targets Recommended for Avoidance (Not for Public Disclosure) ................... C-1 Appendix D: Texas Antiquities Permit 8645 and THC Concurrence Letter ............................................... D-1 ii | P a g e List of Figures Page Figure 1: Project Location ............................................................................................................................................ 2 Figure 2: Bathymetry .................................................................................................................................................... 3 Figure 3: Survey area in 1884....................................................................................................................................... 4 Figure 4: Survey area in 1887....................................................................................................................................... 7 Figure 5: Example of a Verified Shipwreck Anomaly, Site 41CL92 .......................................................................... 16 Figure 6: City of Waco Anomaly (iron hull) ............................................................................................................... 17 Figure 7: Induced Magnetic Anomaly ....................................................................................................................... 18 Figure 8: 41CH372 Anomaly (steel hull) .................................................................................................................... 19 Figure 9: Mag-13 Wreck Anomaly (wooden hull)..................................................................................................... 20 Figure 10: Anomaly 1 ................................................................................................................................................. 23 Figure 11: Anomaly 2 ................................................................................................................................................. 24 Figure 12: Anomaly 3 ................................................................................................................................................. 25 List of Tables Page Table 1: Wrecks Reported Within Three Miles of Survey Area ................................................................................. 9 Table 2: Previous Investigations Within Three Miles of the Survey Area ............................................................... 11 Table C-1: Geophysical Targets Recommended for Avoidance (Not for Public Disclosure) ................................ C-1 iii | P a g e Abstract BOB Hydrographics, LLC (BOB) conducted a marine archaeological survey of a proposed pipeline project crossing Redfish Bay, in Nueces County. Project Consulting Services, Inc. contracted with BOB for this project, on behalf of the project sponsor, Axis Midstream Holdings, LLC. The survey spans portions of State Mineral Lease Tracts 321, 324, 325, 326, 327, and 328 between the community of Aransas Pass and Harbor Island. The Area of Potential Effect (APE) encompasses 203 acres. A total of 299 acres was surveyed, including petroleum-industry access channels connected to each end of the main survey corridor and a 50-meter buffer around the proposed APE as mandated by the Texas Historical Commission. Water depth ranged from 2.9-11.7 feet during the survey. Field investigations included a marine geophysical survey, performed under Texas Antiquities Permit 8645, on November 16 and 17, 2018. BOB assessed all geophysical data acquired by the survey to locate potential archaeological sites that could be affected by construction-related activities. No artifacts were collected during this survey. A review of cultural background determined that 5 marine archaeological investigations and, at least, 9 wrecks have been reported within 3 miles of the survey area. Analysis of survey results discovered 3 significant geophysical targets that might be potentially eligible as State Antiquities Landmarks and for the National Register of Historic Places. This study was completed in compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (Public Law 89-665; 16 U.S.C. 470) and the Antiquities Code of Texas (Texas Natural Resource Code, Title 9, Chapter 191). The minimum reporting and survey requirements for marine archaeological studies conducted under a Texas Antiquities Permit are mandated by The Texas Administrative Code, Title 13, Part 2, Chapters 26 and 28, respectively. Project records will be curated by the Center for Archaeological Studies at Texas State University-San Marcos. iv | P a g e I. Introduction BOB Hydrographics, LLC (BOB) conducted a marine archaeological survey of a proposed pipeline project crossing